I’m happy to have fellow suspense author Lisa Regan at The Serial Killer Files today! Lisa offered to share what she’s learned about publishing and what she wishes she’d known before she started querying.
Her debut novel, FINDING CLAIRE FLETCHER, is out now.
Two books. Six years from query to contract. 238 Agent rejections. 11 Publisher rejections.
It was a long, hard road. Especially because the feedback I got from both agents and publishers was very positive. They usually couched their rejection in glowing praise: “This is a great book.” “These are strong projects.” “You’re a great writer.” “I was on the edge of my seat reading this.” “In many ways, this book is a home run.” “It was very, very close.”
Pass.
It wasn’t something I could work on. It’s not like they were saying my characters were flat or my plot had holes or my pacing was off. Those types of things can be fixed. Being “great” but getting passed on over and over? I was never quite sure what to do with that.
Still. I learned a lot of things from query to contract and here are the top ten tips I wish someone had given me back in 2006 before I sent out my first query:
1. Don’t let any agent or publisher read your book until it’s really ready. Don’t be in a hurry. Do the work to make it what I like to think of as “shelf-worthy”. In other words, before it lands on the desk, or more likely the e-reader, of an agent or editor, it should be so tightly constructed and polished that it reads the same as any book you might pull off a shelf at your local bookstore. To get to that point, see #2.
2. Get critique partners and beta readers. Use them. A lot. Ask both writers and regular old readers to read your manuscript and polish it up as best you can based on their advice. You’ll need at least 5. I recommend a number closer to 10. Do not use people who have any emotional attachment to you. They will not be honest with you.
3. Pay attention to your entire book. Plenty of people can write a fabulous opening chapter. But to get published, the entire book has to hold together. It has to make sense all the way through. Also you can’t start out with a thriller and end as a romantic suspense novel. It won’t work. If you’re not sure your book makes sense or you’re not even sure what type of book you’re writing, see #2.
4. Make sure your word count is within the acceptable range. I understand for my genre it’s between 85,000 and 110,000 although the high range is frowned on, especially for debut novelists. Your “great” book will be rejected if it’s too long.
5. Don’t be afraid to cut–words, scenes, subplots–to make the book shelf-worthy and keep your word count down. Not sure what to cut? See #2.
| FINDING CLAIRE FLETCHER is out now! Click HERE to purchase. |
6. When an agent is on their second pass and they say they want to make a list of suggestions and go over them with you to see if you’re both on the same page before offering representation–that means they’re not going to sign you. That’s a no. Take it as such.
7. If an agent loves your book but passes anyway, ask for a referral. They’ll usually give you one and although it certainly doesn’t guarantee a contract, it will usually result in the referral agent at least reading your work.
8. If you’ve sent out 10 queries and gotten no response, send more. I hate to break it to you, but 10 queries is not a lot. It is barely a drop in the bucket. If you’ve sent out 25 to 50 and gotten no response, then you might need to rework your pitch.
9. Network, network, network. Find other writers and make friends with them. You’d be amazed how much easier rejection is to take when you’ve got a bunch of writer friends in your corner. Support them in their endeavors. We’re all headed in the same direction. We need to help each other out.
10. Do. Not. Stop. Keep writing, keep honing your craft, keep querying. This business is so hard. But if you’ve got a good book and you keep working at it, chances are that something will break eventually. If you stop, that won’t happen for you. When you think it’s madness to continue is exactly when you need to forge ahead and keep going.
Great advice as always, Lisa! 🙂
Excellent list. The only thing I would add is love what you do.
Sticky that thread. Oh, wrong venue. Great advice, great list.
Ironic the rejections from agents is a much higher number.
I have two test readers and three critique partners, so I guess I hit that number right.
Good stuff, Lisa – glad you didn't give up!
That's a great list, Lisa, I am going to send it to several people I know who are at that stage. Now get on with writing your next book!
Rejection is a little easier when you've got writer friends who understand what you're going through. Otherwise it's pure hair-ripping, nail-chewing, grab another kleenex time. 😛
Thanks for this, Lisa, and thanks to Jennifer for having you. It's always nice to know I'm not alone and it helps give me hope that someday maybe I'll get published, too. =o)
Excellent list – thank you 🙂
Thanks everyone! Thanks again, Jennifer, for hosting me! I really appreciate it!
Lovely post, Lisa! And congrats on your book! 😀
All this I've learned on my journey with you, Lisa! Isn't it crazy though? We must be masochists to put ourselves through it all.
I most definitely agree with the not querying until your novel is ready. I know a lot of people who have queried way too soon.
Great list, Lisa! Congrats on getting your book published!
Have a wonderful holiday, Jennifer!
Thanks for being so candid Lisa. It's always helpful to read what other writers have endured on their way toward becoming published. Great inspiration to keep writing, revision, and polishing.
Those stats make me feel a lot better! 🙂
#6 on your list surprised me. Why would an agent waste time with you if they're not going to sign you up? Or maybe they simply don't realize it themselves yet?
Thanks everyone for your kind words! Botanist: I think it was more that they intended to sign me once all the work was done but too much time passed and they felt guilty for stringing me along. Two agents actually told me that–in one instance the agent had had my manuscript for 2 and a half years and he said basically if he hadn't gotten to it by then, he probably wouldn't. He said he didn't feel right having me hanging on like that so he preferred to just pass. Another had it for one year and said she felt too terrible for taking so long so she passed. The longest was four and a half years. Once your manuscript makes it to the bottom of the pile on the agent desk, you can forget about ever signing with them–in my experience.
Nice blog
Parfum pas cher
Sage advice; I need to start querying again!
This is great advice- definitely needed while querying. Your stats also are encouraging for those of us who are querying right now. Not giving up yet!
Excellent advice Lisa. I would not have thought of #7, but it makes sense.
She's an inspiration. Thanks to you both for the interview!
Excellent advice from Lisa. Her book was well-written and suspenseful, and made me wonder how so many agents/publishers could not see that!
Lisa's road to publication is so inspiring! Great advice as always, Lisa.